Forgotten Evil
by chameleon27
Summary: Chapter 7 UP. The Kenshin Gumi still doesn't know who's after Kenshin, but while Himura and Sanosuke's investigation leads them away, who will protect the Kamiya Dojo? (Disclaimer: Does NOT follow the manga or new OVA)
1. Preminition

Time: 7 years after Episode 95  
  
Forgotten Evil  
  
In the heat of midsummer, the days always seemed to be incredibly tiresome. The people walking throughout the streets and markets of Tokyo were walking a bit slower than usual. It was one of those days where the whole family would go out and spend time together, the younger children often dragging their feet behind their parents. Merchants sat under their small fabric canopies, fanning themselves as they smiled to the folks passing slowly by. An occasional police officer would stop to make small talk with the merchants who were having a lull in the sparse visits of costumers, and then would move down the street to the next shop.  
  
But one tall shopper walked slower than everyone else. Chewing a long piece of dry straw, the tall man sighed as he shifted his view back and forth, eyeing the two story hotels, restaurants, and shops. They all were alive and exciting only days earlier, but now they all looked dull and boring. The whole week had been nothing but lonely afternoons and lonely nights.  
  
The bright glare of the sun shining off of the dry dirt beneath his feet didn't make things any better for him. He stopped as he reached a long overhang shading a fruit stand. Standing in the shade, he felt slightly more alive. It was amazing how much a difference shade could make. Swiping his spiked, black hair, the tall man reached down for one of the mangoes in the stand.  
  
A sharp pain pinged in his wrist.  
  
"Hey!" said an elderly woman, barely able to open her age-squinted eyes. "You got money this time, skinny boy?"  
  
"Skinny boy?" asked the man. "Aw, come on, lady. I was gonna pay you back. Don't worry."  
  
The woman snickered.  
  
"That's what you tell everyone," she said. "Every business owner in town knows not to give anything away to the tall man in the white gi, and I'm not going to be one of the idiots who do!"  
  
After hearing that remark, Sanosuke sighed and replaced the fruit. Instead of tasting juicy fruit, he was chewing on a straw. This was definitely not his week. Slowly, he left the comfort of the shady overhang, giving the old woman a sarcastic wave.  
  
How boring were things going to get for him? Kenshin and Kaoru were away in Kyoto; Yahiko was away for the day on some date with Tsubame (at his age now, marriage may be a possibility for him too). He smiled when he thought of Megummi, but sighed when he remembered that she was gone too. She was in some village in the mountains teaching the doctors how to treat a certain disease the village was suffering from. He tried as hard as he could to go with her, but she was as stubborn as ever.  
  
Still, it was that stubbornness that set her apart in his mind from other women. He couldn't explain it, and frankly neither could she, but the two were attracted to each other ever since they first met. Now, almost eight years later, he had finally managed the guile to ask her to marry him. Sansosuke thought for sure he'd get turned down, despite already having been on so many dates with her. But to his surprise she said yes…well more like shouted, but that was fine with him.  
  
But now, his fiancée was up in a remote village in the mountains, his best friend was with his wife in Kyoto, his mischief partner Yahiko was in a crazy romance of his own, and even Tsunan was out of town.  
  
"This weeks sucks," Sanosuke growled again.  
  
From behind a stack of chicken crates in a nearby alley, a figure hid in the shadow, remaining unseen even by the peasants walking right by him. He kept himself pinned against the wall, hanging just slightly off the ground by using his fingertips to press himself up the cold stone. The man in the white gi was still walking down the street, about to move out of view.  
  
In an instant, the figure leapt off the wall, jumped off the building opposite him, and landed on the roof of the building he had been perched on. Only taking time to adjust his footing, the man, wearing dark clothing, hurdled a clothesline and mounted the roof of the next house. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, stopping when he was past the other man by a couple of houses.  
  
Here he waited, staying low to the rooftop and breathing silently. How he hated being out in the open like this. His role before had never taken him out of the safety of the shadows, but here he was exposed to everything. The only thing keeping him from being spotted was by lying as flat as possible. But no matter how much he hated this type of hunting, it still excited him. Even after all these years, the hunt was always exhilarating.  
  
Sansosuke yawned as he approached a t-junction in the road ahead. He'd head right and check on Dr. Genzai. Ayame and Susume were supposed to be there now, helping him while Megummi was away. Maybe if things were slow over there too, then he'd talk to them for a while.  
  
He turned the corner and kept his slow pace as he made his way up the street. Suddenly it had gotten much colder. The sun was still beating down its incessant rays of heat, but something made him feel like he was in a shadow. It was an odd sensation, but the heat of the sun was quickly returning. As quickly as it came, the feeling was gone. Sanosuke paused for a moment longer, and then continued his trek to Dr. Genzai's house.  
  
The dark hunter cursed under his breath. He saw the tall man turn the corner of the street, but rose to follow a bit too soon. He couldn't afford to be careless with this one. Though the man in the white gi carried no weapons, his fists were what made him dangerous. The hunter had studied the effects of his prey's technique, and could help but be impressed…almost intimidated. But if he could stay out of his sight, he could find the opportunity he needed.  
  
When his prey had continued out of view, the figure again raced over the rooftops, guiding his feet carefully but quietly.  
  
He trailed the tall man to a doctor's residence, where he remained for nearly two hours. The sun had shifted a bit, casting a slight shadow behind a protruding chimney. It wasn't very large, but inviting nonetheless. The figure contracted his limbs and pinned himself tightly against the stone, blending into the shadow. This was where he belonged, and where he felt the most alive.  
  
Sanosuke talked a little bit to Susume, who was now a surprisingly competent teenager. Ayame helped Dr. Genzai perform an operation on a man who had nearly lost his foot by being careless with his scythe while reaping in the fields. The operation took several hours, but the rest of the patients were merely headaches and dehydration sufferers. Sanosuke handed out cups of water, while Susume gave out prescriptions for the headaches. After a few hours, he decided to head for the dojo. Perhaps he could lie down and take a nap. Sleeping was always a great way to kill time.  
  
He said goodbye to the doctor and the girls, and then walked back out to the street. As he turned in the direction of the dojo, he felt the cold sensation again. Standing still, he felt it much clearer than he did a few hours before. His eyes narrowed. The feeling was concentrated in one spot above him and to the right.  
  
The figure was motionless, barely able to see the top of the tall man's head over the edge of the rooftop. But the man wasn't moving. Had he seen him? No, he was moving again, up the street. For good measure, the shadow dweller waited a minute before following his prey. Soon he was hunting again, leaping over alleys and racing along the rooftops.  
  
It wasn't much longer until he reached the Kamiya Kashin Ryu Dojo. From his perch high across the street, the figure watched the tall man enter the main training room. With the sun only a threat for the next two hours, he decided to wait for the cover of darkness. Then he would make his move.  
  
The time passed slowly for the hunter, growing impatient with every unfruitful minute. Still, the sun was setting, blending from orange to crimson to violet. The air was cooler, refreshing to the exposed skin around his eyes. The street below was nearly deserted, only littered with the occasional carriage or passersby.  
  
He'd had it. There was no way he was waiting any longer. Like an eagle from its nest, the figure leapt across the street, landing solidly onto the shingled roof of the dojo gate. No one had spotted him. Content with not being seen, he dropped quietly into the courtyard, ducking behind a cluster of bushes. With stealth, hiding sight and sound, he glided from shadow to shadow, rounding the courtyard clockwise until he arrived at the side of the large training room.  
  
He sat still, huddled behind a large fern. In the silence of the courtyard, he heard only the distant bustle of carriages passing in the street. The wind had started to pick up a little, swaying the branches of the trees around him. But no sound came from the dojo. Perhaps the man was sleeping.  
  
Like a snake, he crawled across the ground and up the side of the building. The windows in the dojo were at the top of the walls, to allow more sunlight inside, as the day progressed. He gently slid one window open about a half inch. There was no movement inside, though it was growing dark enough that he could have been mistaken. He waited on the wall for another minute before opening the window about a foot more. Slithering through the opening, he found his footing and closed the window behind him.  
  
The training room was empty, devoid of anyone or anything. Plaques hung on the walls, but nothing more. Across the room from him was the other wall, looking much like the one he had crawled down. The far end of the room, to his left, held much the same, only it lacked any sunlight, casting dark shadows in the corners. Two sliding doors ornamented the room's front wall. But that was all he saw. Slowly, he began moving across the large, wooden training floor.  
  
"Breaking and entering," came a voice from a dark corner of the room.  
  
The figure spun around immediately, tensing and tightening his muscles. From out of the pitch came the tall man in the white gi. Under the spiking hair was a determined glare, complemented by a wry smile.  
  
"Last time I checked," continued Sanosuke, "that was a criminal offense." The figure didn't respond. "Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
Again, the figure didn't respond. He only stood there motionless, frozen like a rabit spotted by a predator. Sanosuke, however, wasn't in the mood for the silent treatment.  
  
"Hey," Sanosuke growled. "I've been waiting for you for two hours now, and I really hate to be kept waiting. Answer me. Who are you and what do you want?"  
  
Finally, the figure moved, standing up to face the other man.  
  
"I'm no one," said the intruder. "No one but a messenger. I need to leave a message for the battousai."  
  
Sansosuke stood a little straighter. This guy knew about Kenshin.  
  
"Ok," Sanosuke said. "What is it? I'll make sure he gets it."  
  
A senial snicker came from behind the ninja-like mask of the intruder.  
  
"No," said the man. "You don't understand." Two long knives slid down from his sleeves and into his hands. "I need to send a message."  
  
Sanosuke didn't move, nor waver in his stare. Now he knew what was going on. Whoever this guy worked for wanted Kenshin dead, and was going to send him a prediction by killing one of his friends. Too bad it wasn't going to happen to him though.  
  
After a few more seconds of staring, the dark figure shot forward, running full steam with the knives in his hands. Sanosuke stood still, putting his hands in his pockets. The apathetic attitude of his prey spurred the ninja to charge him faster. He was almost upon him.  
  
Just as the figure reached Sanosuke, the tall man stepped quickly out of the way, and then backwards to avoid the next attack. The intruder was swinging the knives in wide circles, trying to keep out of reach of the Sanosuke's long and powerful arms. But none of the attacks could scratch him. Sanosuke was simply dodging the swings by stepping out of the way.  
  
For this, Sanosuke was rather disappointed. If someone wanted Kenshin dead, why send such a poor fighter? But they weren't trying for Kenshin tonight. No, they were trying to kill him. That meant that they thought of him as weak. Now Sanosuke was really angry.  
  
He whipped his hands out of his pockets, catching one of the assailants flailing arms. With the intruder momentarily paused, Sanosuke gave one punch to his face, knocking him flat on his back. Instantly, the man jumped back to his feet and continued his assault. But Sanosuke again caught on his useless attacks, this time twisting the man's arm until the knife dropped out of the hand. The intruder quickly tried getting in a stab with the other blade, but Sanosuke caught that arm as well. The attacker screamed in pain as the second knife dropped to the floor.  
  
Now having both of the intruder's arms pinned, Sanosuke drove his foot straight up into the air. He connected with his opponent's chin, knocking him backwards. The ninja fell, hitting the wooden floor with a thud.  
  
Sanosuke stared at the unconscious man on the floor. What was this all about? As bent down to take a closer look at the man, he noticed gray hair sticking out of the mask. Sanosuke pulled the black cloth off the man's head. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This man must be over fifty years old. Why on earth would they send an old man to fight him? 


	2. Scouting

"Kenshin!" shouted Kaoru. "Behind you!"  
  
Two sword-wailing men fell backwards, both with deep impressions across their faces. Standing where they were once facing was Himura Kenshin. His blue gi was flowing loosely in the breeze that blew across the open field, and the bright sun was shining brightly off his long hair. Still holding his sakaba parallel to the ground, he stood straight, smiling at his wife as he did so.  
  
Despite the fact that Kaoru could see the thirty members of the Ji-Hu- Ti running at full steam towards her husband, she couldn't help but smile back. Kenshin always made things seem easy, even against incredible odds. But she still worried. Kaoru, still smiling, raised her hand and made a pointing gesture for her husband to turn around.  
  
"I know," said Kenshin with a smile.  
  
Dust clouds swirled from the dirt where Kenshin had once stood. With incredible speed, he shot towards his attackers. The Ji-Hu-Ti was a mafia- like mob of thieves who were terrorizing a nearby village. They hurt many innocent people…and Kenshin wasn't about to let their crimes go unpunished. He swung his sakaba around his left side, and then blasted it towards his right. A shockwave of air erupted the ground before the charging mob, sending the front line hurling backwards. Flying chunks of dirt struck the next few rows of thugs, knocking them to the ground. The rest of the mob halted quickly, but soon found the lone samurai standing behind them. Kenshin repeated the technique, sending more unconscious thieves tumbling backwards. When the dust clouds cleared, two men, sitting terrified in the dirt, were all that remained of the awake.  
  
Kenshin watched them flee in a panic, screaming as they ran into the nearby forest. He sheathed his blade and turned towards Kaoru, who was waiting patiently back in the road.  
  
"You know," Kaoru said. "You shouldn't let the other two get away. What if they come back?"  
  
"I don't think they'll be hurting anyone anymore," said Kenshin as he reached her side. "The Ji-Hu-Ti have only attacked in large numbers, and I doubt those two will be coming back for their friends."  
  
Kenshin smiled at his wife, staring deeply into her eyes. They were the most hypnotizing sight one could behold, and he found himself mesmerized every time. Kenshin took Kaoru's hand and walked with her down the road. Her hand was small, but squeezed tightly on his. After nearly seven years of marriage, their love had never stopped growing, nor did it slow down. For Kaoru, it was the life she's always dreamed about. For Kenshin, it was the life he thought he'd never have the chance to live. Perhaps that was what made him so protective of his wife and friends. They meant so much to him…and he would never let anything happen to them.  
  
Kaoru leaned slightly on her husband as they walked, holding onto his arm with her other hand. She rested her head on his shoulders and closed her eyes, feeling safe and loved by the only man she ever wanted. Together the two headed South again, toward their home and the life they'd built.  
  
From high above the open field, a man watched the couple walk down the road. The cliff was a perfect perch for him to view the fight that took place down below, and gave him a good angle to see the skill of Himura Kenshin. When he had been watching the short skirmish, the man had been feeling one of the hilts of his many swords. The two on his back were secured tightly with straps, and the katanas on either side of his waist hung loosely in place. He wanted to fight the battousai again – not to hurt him, but just because he had felt so alive when fighting such a great master of the sword. But if he didn't get the chance, it didn't matter. He considered Himura a friend. Granted, he'd hardly spent anytime around the battousai at all, but he still admired him.  
  
"Chou," a voice said from somewhere behind him.  
  
The man faced the direction of the voice, letting the sunshine his red gi. Chou was a former member of the jupongatana, the group of ten assassins led by Shishio Makoto. He was given a position in the secret police for his assistance with the campaign against Shishio, and, despite promising himself to leave whenever he wanted, had decided to stick with it. It felt weird at first to be making an honest living, but the oddness of it turned to good, and a realization that true honor came not in boasting the greatest sword, but in using it to protect the week. Though, none of this did anything to change his attitude towards authority.  
  
"What?" Chou almost shouted. "I watched him, don't worry."  
  
"And?" replied the voice.  
  
Chou sighed. Standing under the shade of a large birch was Saito Hajime. Though extremely powerful, Saito was a rather rude individual…or at least that's what Chou thought. Saito was his superior, and had helped him progress up the ranks to achieve the security level necessary to know all that goes on in Japan. Together, the two samurai were the avenues of correction when the powerful in Japan became corrupt.  
  
Saito dressed as he always did, the dark blue uniform showing his tall and slender frame. As usual, a cigarette hung from his mouth. With his arms crossed, he seemed almost too complacent to be police officer. But the sword hanging from his belt gave away his hidden talent.  
  
"And," Chou told him. "He's still pretty sharp. Although, the Ji-Hu-Ti aren't exactly the most worthy of opponents, so I don't know what you expected to learn from this."  
  
"Even though the Ji-Hu-Ti," said Saito, "are not worthy adversaries, they do provide adequate force with their numbers. How were the battousai's special techniques?"  
  
"Well," said Chou as he turned to peer back down to the field below. "They were actually pretty sharp as well. I'd say he's kept up his skills since you last were with him."  
  
Saito smiled. There were many reasons why he wanted the battousai to be the best fighter he could be…but none so great as his desire to be the greatest. Saito Hajime never considered himself as jealous or ambitious, but he wanted to be the victor over the battousai. The battle in Kyoto all those years ago never finished, and the fight in the Kamiya Dojo was interrupted before a decision could be made. He honestly would have been relieved even if he lost. At least then, the obsession with fighting Himura Battousai would end, and he could move on in life. But until such a time where the opportunity could be taken, he would have to wait. He needed the battousai's skills for a different purpose, one that would require the samurai's full potential. 


	3. Coming Home

Kenshin and Kaoru finally reached Tokyo. The trip was a bit longer than they had planned on, but only because they stopped several times along the way. It seemed that despite how well the government was progressing and providing aid for the people, there were always those who were in need of help – both with the economy and against those who were causing trouble. Kenshin couldn't really do much with the economy, but at least the with the troublemakers he could.  
  
Now he was heading home, only a few blocks away. The sun was setting behind the mountains far to the north, and the night sky was already fading in its sparkling dark cloak. A few merchants were still open, but most had gone home for the night, or were in the middle of closing shop.  
  
Kaoru, holding Kenshin's hand with both of hers, smiled as she surveyed the town she had grown up in. As a little girl, it had seemed so huge, with enormous buildings and long, wide streets. When she was a teenager, she realized just how small it really was, and how little the shops actually had. But over the last few years, Tokyo had grown tremendously. With the economy on the rise, more and more business were starting, and the new buildings being built were indeed enormous. The new police building had a very obvious western-influenced architecture, with bricks and glass windows. The town was growing.  
  
That made her think of something else. She had thought that she'd tell him on the way home from Kyoto, but the Ji-Hu-Ti was a significant distraction. But now, she could tell him with no dis –  
  
"Kaoru," said Kenshin. "Look."  
  
He had stopped, and was now pointing down the street. Kaoru followed his stare to the front gates of the Kamiya Kashin Ryu dojo. She hadn't realized that they had already walked so far. Her eyes grow a little larger when she saw two police carriages parked outside the gate. Several officers were waiting outside the carriages, while two more came out of the gate.  
  
"Kenshin," she said, squeezing his hand tightly.  
  
"Come on," he told her as he started walking.  
  
As they approached the carriages, the soldiers standing around the gate saw them and bowed quickly. On of them, a smaller man with a shaved head and a small mustache stepped forward and bowed again.  
  
"Himura-son," he said in a shaky voice, "Mrs. Himura-son. I'm glad you are here. You're dojo was attacked."  
  
"WHAT!" Kaoru shouted.  
  
Before the officer, or Kenshin, could say anything else, she had sprinted past him and through the gate. The dojo seemed to be intact as she ran toward the front doors, but she knew something must be wrong if there were so many guards standing outside the doors. But just as Kaoru reached the steps, police officers began walking out of the door, carrying unconscious men on stretchers. She counted ten stretchers before the line of officers ended. She gazed at the injured men a moment longer, and then at Kenshin who was walking up beside her.  
  
"It looks like the attackers were the victims," he said. "Sanosuke should really learn to hold back."  
  
Kaoru was about to say something when a familiar voice shouted from the dojo's doors.  
  
"I did hold back," Sanosuke said. "It's not my fault these guys weren't skilled."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Kaoru. "Kenshin, how did you know Sanosuke beat them up?"  
  
"The officer told me after you ran away," he answered her.  
  
She gave him a smirk.  
  
"But these guys aren't the only attack made on this place this week," said Sanosuke. "A man came here yesterday to kill me, to leave a message for you."  
  
"What?" Kenshin asked. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah," said a disgusted Sanosuke. "The guy was nothing but an old geezer."  
  
"Where's he now?"  
  
"Police have him in jail," Sanosuke told him.  
  
"Is anything broken?" Kaoru asked as she went up the steps to look inside the dojo.  
  
"Na," the tall man said as he stepped out of her way. "I was careful, so they didn't even touch me."  
  
"I was referring to my dojo," she said.  
  
Sanosuke heard a quiet laugh from Kenshin, and slapped his forehead with his hand. These guys were always going to joke around with him, even after he was in a fight. Still, he knew they cared about him, and would do anything to help him if he was ever in danger. But now his best friend might be the one in danger. Whoever sent these guys has to know how strong Kenshin is, and would have to be a total idiot to send dim-witted fighters like this to take him on. It was only a matter of time before they sent someone who might be a real challenge.  
  
Kenshin knew this too. Just from hearing the reports of Sanosuke and the police officer, he knew that these fighters were no match for any one of the Kenshin-gumi. But that could change. He'd have to get to the bottom of this before anything bad happens.  
  
"Tomorrow we'll go talk to the old man who attacked you," Kenshin said to Sanosuke. "I don't like the idea of people attacking us at all, let alone without us knowing why they're doing it. Maybe we can settle this before anyone else pays us a visit." 


	4. Interogation

"I don't think he'll talk," Sanosuke said as he walked with Kenshin down the streets of Tokyo. "He might be an old guy, but he seemed pretty serious. He might not even say anything to us at all."  
  
Kenshin didn't respond. Instead, to Sanosuke's surprise, he was smiling as he took in the somewhat crowed city streets. Merchants were selling, and people were shopping. But despite being the norm, they were happy. For the longest time, Kenshin had fought to bring happiness to those who had none. Now, whenever he saw children playing and the elders smiling, Kenshin tried his best to soak it all in.  
  
"Oi, Kenshin," repeated Sanosuke. "Why are you always so complacent whenever someone is trying to kill you?"  
  
"I'm not," Kenshin said. "It's just that I can't help but smile when I see the world so many fought to bring about. Look at everyone. They're happy, Sano."  
  
Sanosuke couldn't help but smile with his friend. Kenshin was right. Despite his dislike of the government, Sanosuke loved the freedom it gave to the people. A symbol of the government now rose before them. The Police Headquarters was enormous compared to the Japanese-style buildings of Tokyo. It was built with brick, and it's windowpanes and pillars with white marble. The building itself was four stories high, towering over the surrounding blocks.  
  
The inside was no less magnificent. For being a police building, it was very ornately decorated. Still, it remained a police station. Standing behind a large wooden reception desk was the small officer who had been at the Kamiya dojo the night before. Kenshin recognized him immediately.  
  
"Hello, sir," said Kenshin.  
  
"Oh, hello, Himura-son," replied the small man. "I take it you're here to see the older man we're holding prisoner?"  
  
"Yes," said Kenshin. "Is it alright if we talk to him?"  
  
"I have orders to allow only you two access to the prisoner, so yes," said the officer.  
  
"Orders?" Sanosuke asked. "From who?"  
  
"That gentlemen," the officer sighed, "I'm afraid I cannot say."  
  
Kenshin stood still for a moment. Someone in the police or the government, high-ranking no doubt, wanted them to interrogate the old man. But who would deem it necessary to keep anyone else from talking to him?  
  
His questions had to wait. The small officer was now out from behind the desk and leading them through a pair of double-doors. They followed the man through several hallways before coming to a broad stairwell. Down they went, beneath ground level at least two floors.  
  
"Since the contractors were given the freedom of starting from scratch," the officer told them, "they decided to build the cells underground. This is good, since it's a better deterrent of escape attempts. Oh, and don't worry. The bottom levels are ventilated through air ducks, so the air doesn't really get musty."  
  
"Or rank I hope," Sanosuke added.  
  
After traveling down another long hallway, lined with offices and guarded supply depots, they came to a barred door. An officer sitting behind a barred window noticed their approach and stood next to the door. With a nod from the small officer, the policeman opened the door to allow the three men inside.  
  
They were now inside the holding area, where they could see cellblocks lining both sides of the walls. To the left and to the right were hallways leading to other detention areas.  
  
"We have several different cell blocks in this station," the officer told them. "Fortunately, we only have to use one of them right now. Maybe the police influence on the street is actually doing some good."  
  
"Or maybe the people have just gotten better," Kenshin said.  
  
"It's just like you, Kenshin," Sanosuke noted. "You're always trying to see the best in people."  
  
Kenshin smiled.  
  
"If we don't put any hope in them," the longhaired man said, "then they'll never appear better to us."  
  
As they started walking down the row, Sanosuke noticed a strange aroma in the air. He couldn't place his finger on it, but the smell was familiar. It left the air around them as they continued walking.  
  
About half way down the row of cells, the small officer stopped. He pointed inside the dark cell. Inside, Kenshin could see the old man. Iron shackles chained his wrists and feet to the wall. Still in his ninja uniform, he sat quietly on a wooden bench, staring back at them with determined eyes. Sanosuke was right. This old man wasn't a fool. Kenshin turned to the officer.  
  
"Can we have a few minutes alone with him?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Sure," said the officer as he unlocked the cell door. "Just yell when you're ready to leave."  
  
"Thank you," said Kenshin.  
  
The small samurai and the tall fighter entered the cell, waiting for the officer to lock the door behind them and walk back down the hall. When he was sure he was gone, Kenshin spoke.  
  
"I know you won't speak to us," Kenshin said. "I don't know who you work for, but you obviously are loyal to him. I admire that." The man did nothing. "But your attack," the samurai continued, "was on my friend. If it was only on my, then I wouldn't care."  
  
Almost immediately after saying the last word, Kenshin drew his sakaba and charged for the man. The old man closed his eyes tightly. A few seconds passed, and he was still breathing and felt no pain. The man opened his eyes, and then widened them. The tip of Kenshin's blade was less than an inch from the man's forehead.  
  
"I don't like it when my friends are threatened," said Kenshin firmly. "You're not a foolish man, I'm certain of that. You knew Sanosuke was far stronger than you, but you still obeyed your orders and tried to attack him. I don't know why you did, maybe because of your fear of your employer. They may have persuaded you to join their cause, but it's not worth imprisonment, or death."  
  
The man was now staring at Himura intently. Sanosuke didn't know what the new expression meant, but it was definitely a step in the right direction.  
  
"Who is your employer?" Kenshin asked firmly.  
  
The man didn't answer.  
  
"I don't care if you're being loyal," Kenshin said as he sheated his sakaba. "I don't care if you're afraid. I will protect your family, with or without your help. It's up to you. You can live out the rest of your days in dishonorably in jail, or you can redeem yourself by just telling me who ordered the attacks."  
  
The old man opened his mouth slightly. Apparently, his honor meant a lot to him. Kenshin saw the uncertainty in the man's eyes. Then, shocking the two fighters, the old man smiled and laughed.  
  
"I guess I'm really popular," the man said. "Two visits today already."  
  
"What?" Sanosuke asked. "But I thought we were the only ones aloud to talk to this guy?"  
  
The old man snickered.  
  
"Oh well," the he said. "You at least asked somewhat nicely. I tell you exactly what I told the other visitor. I don't know the their names, but there are three of them working together. They came to me two weeks ago, offered me a lot of money to fight your friend here. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance, but I needed the money. My debts were piling up. Look, I don't know what sort of agenda they have, but it involves killing you. They just wanted me to leave you a message…and no, I never saw their faces. They were wearing silver masks."  
  
Kenshin and Sanosuke were both surprised. The old man was actually quite the chatterbox. Though he didn't know much, at least he confirmed what was going on.  
  
"I see," Kenshin said in monotone. "Thank you for your time."  
  
With that said, he turned and walked to the cell door. He shouted for the officer to come and let them out. Sanosuke stared at the old man a second longer, and then followed Kenshin out of the cell.  
  
"Kenshin," said Sanosuke. "This still doesn't help us much."  
  
"I know, Sano," replied Kenshin. "But at least now we know how many people we need to find, and that I'm their target."  
  
"Doesn't this bother you at all?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
Kenshin stopped.  
  
"It bothers me," he said. "Especially since they included killing you to get to me. It makes me worry about what they might do next."  
  
A moment of silence passed before Kenshin again started walking. Sanosuke was following behind him when he was hit by that familiar smell. What was it? Curiosity got the best of him and he began searching the immediate area. His traveling gaze locked onto a small object on the stone floor. He bent closer and picked it up.  
  
A cigarette? Why would a cigarette smell familiar to him –  
  
"Kenshin!" Sanosuke shouted.  
  
The samurai stopped, but did not turn around.  
  
"I know, Sano," said Kenshin. "He's alive." 


	5. Time to Leave

"That's all you got out of him?" Kaoru shouted.  
  
Kenshin and Sanosuke looked at her blankly, and then at each other. Sanosuke could only shrug his shoulders and wait for Kenshin to say something. Kenshin, on the other hand, was a little worried. He'd forgotten how protective his wife could be over him.  
  
"It was all he knew," Kenshin replied with a forced smile.  
  
"I don't care," said Kaoru. "People are trying to attack you, and I want to know who it is…and why are you so calm right now? Doesn't it bother you that someone is out there hiring people to kill you?"  
  
"Well, yes," Kenshin said. "But the main thing that bothers me is that these guys keep including the people I care about. That's what really worries me…" He paused, took a deep breath, and risked his life. "…And that's why I'm going to go a way for a few days."  
  
The Tokyo streets outside the Kamiya Kashin Ryu dojo were almost calming to behold. Merchants were carrying supplies to their shops, and carriages were rolling slowly through the town. Suddenly an ear-piercing roar shattered the serenity.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Calm down, Kaoru," said Kenshin. "I'm only doing this to protect you. If I stay here, there's a chance that you could be targeted like Sanosuke was."  
  
"I don't care," came a loud, yet emotional response. "I'm not letting my husband just up and go off alone somewhere when someone is out there trying to kill him!"  
  
"Oi, Jo-chan," said Sanosuke. "Don't worry. He won't be alone. "I'm going with him."  
  
Kaoru felt a little better hearing that. She opened her mouth to speak, but was surprised when another female voice said her thoughts for her.  
  
"You are?"  
  
Sanosuke turned quickly to see his fiancée standing in the doorway. She had come back from her trip to the mountains, and looked as beautiful as always. The last few days had been pretty disheartening for everyone, but the second he saw her face, Sanosuke's entire body felt weightless.  
  
"Megummi," he said. "You're back." He walked up to her and embraced her in his arms. "How was your trip? Were you able to help the village?"  
  
"Yes," the woman doctor said with exhaustion, leaning heavily on her man's chest. "The medicine worked just fine, and the villagers were all recovering nicely when I left."  
  
Sanosuke closed his eyes as he held her.  
  
"Sounds like you were busy," he commented.  
  
"So busy that I haven't slept in four days," said Megummi. "And now that I'm home to rest, you're going away?"  
  
"Megummi," he said softly. "I have to. Someone is trying to kill Kenshin. I can't let him go out there alone."  
  
The tired woman looked up into his eyes. Her stare portrayed all her emotions at once. Sanosuke saw anger, worry, prayer, and love. In this moment, he nearly decided to stay behind. But Kenshin needed him right now, and he would not forsake his friend. To his surprise, his fiancée agreed with him.  
  
"Then you'd better take care of him," Megummi said to him as she stepped back. "Our wedding just wouldn't be complete without Kenshin."  
  
Sanosuke smiled at her. He then turned around to see both Kenshin and Kaoru smiling as well. The two men were the best of friends, and their women would love them unconditionally, even at a time like this. Leaving would be the best option right now, especially if they were going to keep the ones they loved out of danger.  
  
"And just in case," said Kenshin. "Yahiko should be getting back sometime this evening. He'll protect the dojo while we're away."  
  
"Good," said Kaoru. "Then you won't have to worry about us. Just make sure you're careful, Kenshin."  
  
"I will be," the samurai told her. "And I'll be back as soon as I can."  
  
"Speaking of soon," said Sanosuke. "When do you want to leave?"  
  
"In a few hours," replied Kenshin. "Let's get something to eat first, and then gather our supplies. We shouldn't need to take much, so we should be able to make good time. I'd like to make it to Yokahama before nightfall."  
  
Indeed, it was only a few hours before they had eaten and were ready to hit the road. Kaoru had fixed them lunch, which was surprisingly not bad, and Megummi had made sure they had enough food and water for their trip. Yokahama wasn't that far away, but it was still a day's journey on foot. The men said their goodbyes to their women, each kissing his lover before leaving the front gate.  
  
"Those idiots better not try anything while we're away," Sanosuke said firmly. "I'd never forgive them if they hurt Megummi or Kaoru while we weren't there."  
  
"Don't worry, Sano," said Kenshin. "Not only is Kaoru a capable fighter, but Yahiko will be there. Even you would have to admit that he's grown much stronger the last few years."  
  
Sanosuke smiled. Kenshin was right about Yahiko. The once loudmouth brat had turned into formidable samurai. Yahiko's physical strength had doubled, as well as his techniques, both with the sword and with Kamiya Kashin Ryu. Not only that, but the young man had shed the arrogance he once had as a boy. Now, Yahiko was a true samurai, who understood his own strengths, as well as his own weaknesses. If any one did try to pull anything on the dojo while they were away, then they'd have their hands full.  
  
"That's true," Sanosuke said. "Even if they sent real fighters and ninjas to the dojo, I think Yahiko could probably run circles around them."  
  
"Well lets hope he won't have to," said Kenshin.  
  
Together, the two men walked out of the streets of Tokyo and onto the road to Yokahama. The trip would be at least a day long, but most of it would be under the shade of the forest. Kenshin worried slightly about this, because the trees would provide perfect grounds for an ambush. He and Sanosuke would have to be on guard during that part of the journey.  
  
With the sun slowly beginning its path down to the horizon, the two men walked on. 


	6. Short Delay

The sun was beating down relentlessly, trying with all its fever to piece the thick canopy of eucalyptus and cedar. Yet the road remained cool and shaded, with only the swaying beams of sunlight glazing the dirt in bright spots. The breeze wasn't very big, but was just enough to keep the cooler air under the forest canopy flowing. This made the trip very easy for the two men traveling down the dirt road to Yokahama.  
  
"Um," muttered Sanosuke. "Kenshin, tell me again why we're going to Yokahama?"  
  
The samurai walking next to him kept his stare ahead of him while he spoke.  
  
"Because," Kenshin said, "I have a feeling that whoever is behind all of this has some connection with my past. There's someone in Yokahama that I need to talk to. She moved there from Kyoto fifteen years ago."  
  
"And what makes you think she has any idea about what's going on?" asked Sanosuke.  
  
"I don't know," said Kenshin. "I guess you could say it was the first place I wanted to start at. If she doesn't know anything, then we'll head North to Kyoto."  
  
As they walked, Sanosuke decided to keep silent after Kenshin had mentioned Kyoto. That place held so many memories for Kenshin, most of them bad. But Sanosuke also had memories. He remembered the fight against Anji, and found his thoughts drifting, wondering what had become of the monk. Then his mind shifted to Shishio, and the fight that took every ounce of Kenshin's strength. That's when he remembered Saito.  
  
"You know whose cigarette that was in the police station," said Sanosuke. "Don't you?"  
  
"Yes," replied Kenshin. "Saito Hajime."  
  
"Why do you think he would keep himself hidden from us?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," said Kenshin. "My guess is he still wants to finish the fight he and I started all those years ago."  
  
Sanosuke stopped walking.  
  
"Kenshin," the tall fighter said seriously. "Do you think he could be behind all this?"  
  
"Absolutely not," said Kenshin quickly, stopping to face his friend. "Saito may still want to fight me, but he still fights with honor. The Shinsen Gumi wolves never used such dishonorable tactics as hurting innocent people just to get at someone they wanted. In fact, I'd say that Saito was the one who gave the order for the guard to allow only us access to the old man."  
  
"Well if that's the case," noted Sanosuke, "then whatever this is all about, it must be pretty serious if he got involved. Do you really think he stayed with the government?"  
  
"Probably," answered Kenshin. "That's most likely why we haven't heard about that much corruption between government officials. Saito would have to be keeping that under control."  
  
"So you're saying he's still one of the good guys?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
"Sano," the samurai said. "Saito may want to fight me, but his loyalty and heart are for this country, following the principles of the Shinsen Gumi. He is by my standards, a good guy." Kenshin smiled wryly. "Of course, he's kind of rude sometimes."  
  
Sanosuke couldn't help but laugh at that. Saito was indeed rather rude. He had given Sanosuke such a hard time seven years ago. If he really was alive, then Sanosuke wanted to see him again, if only just to repay the favor.  
  
But the two men's attention was suddenly pulled elsewhere. Shouts were echoing though the forest, coming from somewhere ahead of them. They heard a man shouting orders, and then a woman screaming.  
  
"Sano," said Kenshin.  
  
"Right," came the tall fighter's reply.  
  
Kenshin ran fast. He didn't really know if anyone was in danger or not, but whatever the situation was, it sounded pretty serious. Past a turn in the road and down a long narrow stretch he ran, Sanosuke following suit. The shouts were getting louder now, and he figured the action to be only a few more yards away, perhaps behind the huge rock marking a sharp dogleg in the road.  
  
Kenshin reached the other side of the boulder, stopping in his tracks. A family was huddling together next to their overturned wagon. The father and mother were keeping their small children close between them. All around the site were men, rummaging through piles of clothing and boxes, which appeared to have been thrown to the ground when the wagon had flipped.  
  
"Where is it?" shouted a burly man, the apparent leader of the group.  
  
The man holding his family gritted his teeth. Kenshin could see the fear in his eyes.  
  
"I told you before," the father shouted. "I don't have it. Please just leave us alone!"  
  
The bandit leader cursed and approached the terrified family. He pulled out a small blade waving it in the face of the father. The wife screamed, pulling the children to her other side, away from the bandit with the knife.  
  
"Please," the woman screamed. "Leave him alone."  
  
"Minyah," the husband said, pushing his family behind him. He again shouted to the bandit. "I don't have whatever you're looking for. I just wanted to leave the city. Please leave us alone!"  
  
The man with the knife had had enough. He reached for the man –  
  
CRACK.  
  
The blade dropped from his hand as the bandit let out a wailing scream. He looked down to see his hand twisted and contorted in several directions at once. The man looked up.  
  
Kenshin stood between the family and the bandit, sheathing his sword.  
  
"Whatever problem you have with this man," said Kenshin, "you now have with me. Leave him and his family alone."  
  
The wounded man cringed, gritting his teeth and looking up at Kenshin with a hateful stare. He then cracked a mile.  
  
"Boys," the bandit shouted. "Show this punk why he should learn to mind his own business."  
  
Kenshin watched the man as he laughed wickedly, his grin wide with yellowed teeth. The grin, however, soon turned to a smirk, and then to a look of confusion. No one had come. He looked back to see another man standing right behind him, his hands tucked complacently in his white gi. Behind the new man were his men, all of them lying unconscious on the ground.  
  
"Did you mean those men?" said Sanosuke. "They were in a bad mood, so I thought they could use a nap."  
  
The bandit's face lit with anger. How could just two guys overtake all of his men? The one with the sword spoke, making the man turn back around.  
  
"Leave," said Kenshin. "Now."  
  
The bandit stared just a second longer before turning and running back down the road. Kenshin watched him until he had disappeared behind the boulder. He then turned to the father of the family they had saved.  
  
"Are you all ok?" asked Kenshin.  
  
"Yes," said the man. "Thank you. Thank you very much."  
  
"If you don't mind me asking," Kenshin said, "what were they looking for?"  
  
The man smiled.  
  
"This," he said.  
  
He pulled out of his gi a diamond bracelet. It caught a beam of light and sparkled brightly, the sun gleaming off of its golden ring.  
  
"It was an inheritance I had received from my mother," said the mother, now with the children standing in front of her. "That man who had the knife was my brother. He lost a lot of money gambling and thought he could pay off his debts with the bracelet. I thank you for sparing his life, but I'm sorry you had to get involved."  
  
"Think nothing of it," said Kenshin. "Where were you headed?"  
  
"We don't know," said the father. "Anywhere but back to Tokyo."  
  
"Well then we'll help you with your wagon and escort you to the nearest town," Kenshin said. "If it would be alright with you?"  
  
"Yes, please," said the father. "Thank you." 


	7. The Babysitter

"You say they're headed for Yokahama?" asked Saito.  
  
Chou stood against the wall of the large office. The police station had very large offices on the upper floors, usually kept for high-ranking chiefs and officials. Saito Hajime sat in a large leather chair, behind a desk full of papers. They were old police records, ancient by Chou's standards. Personally, he would never have the patience to do any sort of paperwork, let alone look through old documents that were ancient history.  
  
"Yeah," the blonde-haired samurai told him. "He and that 'chicken- boy'."  
  
Saito smiled. That immature punk might have gotten smarter over the last seven years, but he was still a punk. As he sat behind his desk, Saito remembered the youth's fight with that monk in Shishio's fortress. After seeing the beating that kid went through, Saito couldn't discard him as just a kid anymore. He had been a man, even then. Now, according to Chou, the punk was actually settling down with a woman, and yet still kept up his technique.  
  
That brought his thoughts to his own wife. Saito would never admit this to anyone, but he missed her. How he hated being away for weeks at a time. She deserved better than that. After all those years of support while he was always leaving her, she was still in love with him. Truth was, he had never lost the love he had for her all those years ago. She alone was his happiness. There were times long ago when it was her love that kept him home, and not out searching for the battousai.  
  
"Oi, Saito," Chou shouted. "You ok?"  
  
"Yes, Chou," came a gruff reply. "I was just thinking." He stood from his desk. "I'm going to head to Yokahama. If we saw them leave, then so did the enemy. I want you to stay here, and protect the Kamiya Kashin Ryu Dojo while Himura and Sanosuke are out of town."  
  
"What?" Chou responded. "No way. I'm coming with you. You can't hog all the fun."  
  
"I know how this foe thinks," said Saito seriously. "Trust me. You'll get all the action you need while you're here. Besides, if the battousai's woman is hurt, then we could lose Himura for good."  
  
"What do you mean by 'for good'?" Chou asked.  
  
"Himura Kenshin's life revolves around those he cares for," said Saito. "Especially his wife. If she were to be killed, I doubt even his friends would be able to keep him from changing back to the hitokiri he once was."  
  
"So after all these years," noted Chou, "he still has the hitokiri buried somewhere inside him."  
  
"You can't take the samurai out of the samurai," said Saito. "If Himura's wife is killed, his anger will force him to do anything to avenge her death, even if it means destroying himself to do it."  
  
"How do you know?" Chou asked.  
  
"Because," answered Saito. "Because I know how he feels."  
  
An hour later, Saito had left. Chou watched the uniformed samurai board a police carriage, and take off heading for Yokahama. The blonde warrior watched until the dust trails from the carriage wheels disappeared around the block corner. He sighed.  
  
"Oh well," he said. "Time to baby-sit."  
  
Chou headed off in the direction of the Kamiya Kashin Ryu Dojo. Chances are, they'd give him a hard time if he were to just walk right in and tell them he was going to be hanging around for a while. That just happened to be exactly what he was planning on doing. He never did like the secret spy job missions. He'd much rather just get the bull out of the way and be done with it. And so on he went, through the city streets and toward the dojo.  
  
Meanwhile, already at the dojo, Yahiko was back from his trip to Tsubame's grandparents house. He listened intently to Kaoru as she informed him of the recent events.  
  
Standing almost six feet tall now, Yahiko looked much like Sanosuke did at his age, but with a sword and a blue gi. He had a sakaba made to mimic Kenshin's blade, which enabled him to conflict a great amount of damage without straining his muscles like he did when he used a wooden sword. Under his spiking hair, his eyes were determined. The young samurai was taking the news surprisingly well, and the look he had told his former teacher that he was ready to do his part.  
  
"So there's a chance that these guys might try to attack the dojo even while Kenshin's away?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Yes," said Kaoru. "That's why I need to ask you to stay with us for a few days."  
  
Yahiko nodded. But there was something strange in the tone of Kaoru's voice. It was very slight, almost unnoticeable. It was as if she was admitting something, some sort of weakness. True, Yahiko had grown much stronger than her, as well as a better fighter, but Kaoru was no slouch either. She had been training consistently even while married to Kenshin. Yahiko thought she was probably the most dangerous woman in all of Japan. But something still was a little odd.  
  
"I'll stay," the young samurai said to her. "Don't worry about a thing."  
  
"Thank you," said Kaoru. "Megummi will be staying with us as well. She's in the guest room sleeping right now."  
  
"I see," noted Yahiko. "How was her trip to the mountains?"  
  
"From what I've heard," Kaoru told him, "the villagers are all recovering. Whatever medicine she gave them worked really well. She really is an amazing doctor."  
  
"Yes," said Yahiko. "But she's been an even more amazing friend to all of us…and Sanosuke has been like an older brother to me. I won't let anything happen to you two. I promise."  
  
Kaoru detected a hint of sentiment in the young samurai's voice. Could it be that he actually admitted his affection of the one who picked on him the most? He really was an adult now. As she watched him walk off to stand at the door, Kaoru saw the man she and Kenshin had worked so hard to bring about. She even felt a little prideful, for she had been the one to teach him his budo.  
  
"Huh," said Yahiko.  
  
Kaoru walked over to join Yahiko at the doorway. She now saw the courtyard, pretty much the same as always. But standing at the dojo gate was a man with spiky hair, and many, many swords. Kaoru immediately recognized him. It had been so long ago, yet that guy had stood out in her mind because of his sword-toting appearance.  
  
"You!" she shouted. "I remember you."  
  
Yahiko was confused.  
  
"You do?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "Don't you remember? He was once one of the juppongatana, and came by the Aoiya to tell us where all the rest of his friends had gone."  
  
Now Yahiko remembered him. How could he have forgotten a man who carries all those swords, not to mention a bright red gi? Sanosuke had an attitude with him, and he for Sanosuke. But Yahiko remembered that the red warrior was supposed to be working for the government. What would he want now?  
  
"Why are you here?" Yahiko asked. "What do you want?"  
  
From the gate, Chou sighed and smiled wryly. Here goes a good two hours of explanations and petty squabbling. He started walking toward them as he spoke.  
  
"Relax," he said with another sigh. "I'm here to help you. Jeez, you try to help people and they always seem to get an attitude with you."  
  
Kaoru watched the man swagger down the path to the stairs of the dojo. He was dressed just as she remembered him: wearing a long red gi, his long blonde hair spiking high, and the many swords he kept at his side and on his back. But why show up now?  
  
"Sorry for the attitude," said Yahiko, "but we need to be cautious. Do you still work for the government?"  
  
"Yes," Chou sighed. "I keep a low profile, but still do important jobs. I'm here because my boss doesn't want anything happening to Himura's wife here."  
  
"Me?" asked Kaoru. "Wait a minute, who's your boss and why does he care about what happens to me?"  
  
"I can't tell you who my boss is," said Chou, "but if you get killed, then your husband may not be in the right mindset to do what he needs to do."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yahiko asked. "What's going on?"  
  
Chou sighed yet again.  
  
"I won't tell you who's involved," the red warrior told them. "What I will tell you is it's big enough that the government thinks my boss and I need to be involved. My boss is going to meet up with Himura and fill him in on the whole thing, but until they get back, I can't tell you anymore than I already have."  
  
"That's ridiculous," Kaoru shouted. "If we're in danger, then I think we have a right to know who's after us and why?"  
  
"Yeah?" Chou asked sarcastically. "Too bad. Life is tough. Listen, just go about your business as usual and everything will be explained when your man gets back. Until then, I'm supposed to stay here and protect you."  
  
"What?" shouted Kaoru. "You're staying here?"  
  
"Hey," Chou shouted back. "I'm doing you a favor. You should be grateful."  
  
"She has me to protect her," said Yahiko as he leaned against the doorpost. "Why should we need someone as rude as you to hang around?"  
  
Chou smiled at the young samurai in the doorway. He had followed up on him as well. He was the one they called Yahiko, and even defeated a member of the juppongatana when he was a boy. Even then, Chou knew the kid had potential. Who knows? Maybe he would like this guy. But he became serious, something he rarely did.  
  
"Listen," Chou said to him. "I know you're pretty strong, probably just as strong as me in fact. But the point is the enemy who is behind all this is far greater than you think. You'll need me if they try another attack. The previous two were just to get Himura's attention. The next will probably be for real. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't having two samurai protecting this place better than having one?"  
  
Neither Yahiko nor Kaoru could argue with that. Reluctantly, they both agreed to let him stay.  
  
"Alright," Kaoru said finally. "We have one more guest room you can use. I'll show you the way –"  
  
"Thanks anyway," Chou interrupted, "but I don't plan on sleeping."  
  
"Suit yourself," said Kaoru. "Dinner will be ready in an hour in case you're hungry."  
  
Chou nodded and watched the wife of Himura Kenshin walk off. He then sat down on the steps, only a few feet away from the leaning samurai, who was still watching him like a hawk. The red warrior sighed for the umpteenth time today, as he slowly surveyed the layout of the courtyard, piecing together what angle an attack may come from. But the young samurai next to him interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"So is Kenshin their real target?" Yahiko asked him.  
  
"Yeah," Chou answered. "But they seem to want to get to him by killing the ones he cares about. I told you, that's why I'm here."  
  
"But why didn't you tell Kenshin about all of this before?" Yahiko asked him.  
  
"Oi, stop asking me questions," said Chou. "I told you everything I'm allowed to tell you."  
  
That didn't satisfy Yahiko. He would die for his friends, and do anything to keep Kaoru safe. It bothered him that once again the government was keeping things from Kenshin, and only telling him of it when they deemed it necessary. Now that Kenshin was away, they finally decide to tell him. But that was stupid timing, for it left the dojo unguarded.  
  
And now to make amends, they send one guy to protect them? From the looks of him, he appeared to be just another hotshot samurai with an ego. Still he was once a member of the juppongatana, and Yahiko almost swore he actually felt a ki. So far, he only had that feeling around Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Aoshi. He had to be at least somewhat good. Hopefully, there wouldn't be a need to find out. 


End file.
